1. Technical Field
This invention relates to animal competition arenas, and more particularly to a calcined clay surface amendment for an animal arena which provides a supportive yet soft track surface which quickly absorbs moisture and releases it slowly over time.
2. Background Art
Competition involving animals has been popular for centuries and, depending upon the size of the animals participating, often involve large arenas. As used herein, an xe2x80x9carenaxe2x80x9d includes any area in which a competition is engaged. Examples of animal competitions which provide some examples of arenas include, but are not limited to, animal racing, steeple chasing, polo, barrel racing, steer roping, animal showing, rodeos, training for competition, and the like. While the effect of arena surfaces on the physiology of the animal competitors was overlooked for years, more recent animal physiologists have emphasized the importance of protecting the animals"" physiological health during competition. As a result, for example, many racing horse owners will refuse to allow their horses race on a track which is too hard because of the negative effect racing on the hard ground can have on the animal""s muscles and bones. Of the animal arenas, horse race track surfaces have been the most widely evaluated and criticized.
Animal running surfaces are conventionally formed by creating a very flat, hard subbase layer, such as compacted clay or concrete, covered by a base layer which is typically between 4-10 inches thick and may include an additional xe2x80x9ccushionxe2x80x9d layer or layer on top of the base layer which is typically between 2-4 inches thick. The base layer, and cushion layer if one is used, comprise the running surface layer. The running surface is conventionally sand or may include sand and vegetation (i.e. turf). Often, water activated binders such as clay and silt are also added to the sand of the running surface to provide some support in the sand and reduce the risk of the sand washing away. In preparation for use, animal running surfaces are periodically disced, plowed or graded to provide an even, smooth surface throughout the entire running surface and to loosen any compacted portions of the running surface.
The general intent with an animal running surface is to provide a surface firm enough to support the animal running thereon, yet not so firm as to injure the animal""s bones or muscles. Using horse racing as an example, when a horse runs across a track surface, if the horse hoof does not make any impression or only a small impression, the surface is considered too hard. While a hard surface does allow the horse to run faster, horse physiologists believe running on hard surfaces damages the horse. On the contrary, if the surface is too soft such that when the horse runs across the track surface a deep impression is left, the surface is considered too soft. While the soft surface will not necessarily damage the horse""s physiology, it does cause the horse to run more slowly and tire more quickly. If the horse is not accustomed to running on a soft track, an ordinarily fast horse will lose the race. It is therefore desirable to have consistent horse track racing surface conditions.
However, different climates and sand and base materials can have significantly different effects on a running surface. When an animal running surface is formed, geographically local materials are generally used to create the running surface. As a result, each locality has a running surface made of different materials which may affect the hardness of the surface. Climate may also affect the amount of moisture a running surface receives, how quickly the running surface dissipates moisture to the air, the relative temperatures the surface will be exposed to, and numerous other factors. It is, therefore, difficult to create consistent running surface conditions among different geographic localities. For animals which compete nationally or internationally, consistent running surface conditions would significantly improve consistency of performance and the health of the animal.
In attempts to create soft, supportive, consistent surfaces, those skilled in the art of designing and maintaining animal running surfaces have applied a number of organic and synthetic materials for use as amendments or surface treatments to soften and support the soil. Although use of organic and synthetic amendments to the soil of animal running surfaces may help to retain and regulate moisture in the surface and provide a resilient surface, organic materials decay, often create an odor, cause additional dust and need to be replaced relatively frequently. Furthermore, there are environmental concerns with synthetic materials such as rubber and synthetic fibers which eventually break down and may pollute the environment. Many of the considerations necessary for animal competition arena surfaces are different from those of human sporting fields because of the significantly larger weight of many of the animals used for animal competition. Horses, for example, weigh significantly more than most human athletes. The increased weight of the animal requires a much more durable and supportive material than would be necessary for a human.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an animal arena surface which is natural, durable, and supportive for the animal, but not hard enough to cause physiological damage. Moisture retention and regulation as well as minimization of dust are also concerns.
The present invention relates to a natural, calcined granular clay soil amendment for use in animal arenas and other animal running surfaces. The soil amendment granules of embodiments of the invention are hard, extremely porous, and generally angular by nature, and when mixed with soil of an animal arena, provide a soft, supportive surface for animals to run on and maintain a moisture equilibrium for the soil for an extended time. Generally, the present invention provides soil amendment composition comprising granules having calcium bentonite clay, illite clay, and/or kaolinite clay. A method of fabricating the granules of the invention may generally include the steps of: forming or excavating a clay having a mixture of calcium bentonite clay, illite clay, and/or kaolinite clay; crushing the clay into a granule composition; screening the composition; kilning the composition; and washing the composition.
As will be made clear, important advantages of the soil amendment granules in accordance embodiments of the invention relate to angularity, hardness and absorbency. In various embodiments of the invention, calcium bentonite, illite, and/or kaolinite are combined in ratios (along with moisture and atmospheric gases), crushed in a manner to obtain sufficient angularity, and flash kilned to provide granules having generally angular structures and high hardness coupled with high absorbency. Neither minimum hardness nor minimum absorbency may be sacrificed if the soil amendment is to effectively support animals running on the arena surface and maintain an extended equilibrium for moisture in the surface. Depending upon the weight of the animal, inadequate hardness will result in the amendment granules breaking down to powder/dust, or losing their angularity as the surface supports the animals. Without the designed absorbency, wicking and moisture storage properties will not be maximized and the soil amendment granules will not function to quickly absorb moisture placed on the surface for time-extended release of the moisture to surrounding soil.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.